as in to kill time
to spend time doing nothing
returned home unannounced and found the au pair goofing off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goof (off)
Noun
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The most compelling evidence to debunk the myth that parents are slackers comes from a work team study.—
Lieke ten Brummelhuis,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025 -
The story follows two mini-golf employees whose slacker lifestyle is upended when a demonic cult invades their town.—
Brennan Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Enough results had been collected to ensure the Championship’s perennial underachievers began the day sitting most comfortably but tension was still a travel companion on the 40-mile trip to the East Midlands.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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The biggest underachievers were Florida State, Appalachian State, Utah and Liberty.—
Chris Vannini,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And while humans tend to veg out on the couch, canines typically only watch for short periods.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
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Making the choice to be social is especially difficult at the end of an exhausting day when your impulse may be to veg out on the couch.—
Allie Volpe,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Verb
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Learn to Make Cocktails in a Speakeasy After cycling the Going-to-the-Sun Road or hiking the Highline Trail, there’s nothing better than kicking back and reliving your adventures in Glacier National Park over a great drink—or better yet, learning how to make one yourself.—
Joni Sweet,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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Not all of us seek the heart-stopping excitement of steep waterslides; some of us find true joy from kicking back and floating peacefully down a lazy river.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Expect loafers, sandals, and football boots, all designed to evoke the spirit of travel—whether that’s lounging poolside or exploring city streets.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
9 May 2025
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Hollies No one wants to run into a spiky holly bush while lounging in a bathing suit.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
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Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Tottenham will likely rest most of their strongest XI, with Villa viewing this as another critical moment in narrowing the gap.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
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But Lee says the burden shouldn’t rest entirely on employees.—
Alice Park,
Time,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Get our daily newsletter Yet Mr Schwarzman avoids footling with life’s foot-soldiers for a reason.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
19 Sep. 2019
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Last year an American startup called Swarm Technologies paid a footling $900,000 fine for sending four tiny satellites into orbit on an Indian rocket, having been denied permission to do so by the US Federal Communications Commission.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
17 July 2019
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Cite this Entry
“Goof (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof%20%28off%29. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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